Give exciting ingredients to food-loving friends who cook, and you may be invited back to enjoy what they create with them. Above, saffron-flavored pashmak, a Persian spun-sugar floss, is a gourmet version of cotton candy that can be used to decorate elegant desserts. It is available in several flavors from Pariya Food.

Ground nutmeg from a supermarket canister doesn’t compare to the flavor and aroma of fresh nutmeg. This attractive nutmeg grinder makes a great gift and even comes with with five fresh nutmegs so gift recipients can start spicing up dishes right away.

A full ounce of saffron, one of the most expensive spices in the world, is enough to flavor many dishes. This saffron comes from the Iran, where high-quality saffron is prized and the decorative tin stores it beautifully. It is 100% Crocus sativus, the flower whose pistils yield the rare spice.

Indulge sophisticated palates with these uncommon ingredients from Pariya. Create a gift of several boxes of their unique Persian ingredients like stunning green raisins, rose buds, white mulberries and their very exotic barberries. Those on your gift list with a cultured sweet tooth will fall molars over heels for Pariya’s unique treats like rose-flavored Persian “Fairy Floss” (see photo at top of page), Persian Honey Toffee and the Raahat “Rose & Pistachio Coconut Delight.” Each item is extremely flavorful, very special, and unlike anything most people have seen before. These are among our favorite products. Read more about Pariya Foods, a NIBBLE Top Pick Of The Week.

These Garden-in-a-Bag herbs are an easy way to start herbs on your windowsill at any time of year: basil, chives, dill, oregano, strawberries and even tomatoes will root and can then be transplanted to a larger pot. As a bonus, many of the Garden-in-a-Bag selections are organic.